MANCHESTER, NH – Unlike last week in Worcester, a three-goal third period lead was more than enough for the Manchester Monarchs, who fought their way to a 3-1 victory over the Worcester IceCats before a sold out Verizon Wireless Arena crowd (9,916) on Saturday night.

Right wing John Tripp had the game-winning goal for the Monarchs. Right wing Pavel Rosa and left wing Chris Schmidt also scored for the Monarchs, who blew a three-goal lead before settling for a 3-3 tie with the IceCats in Worcester last Saturday. Goaltender Adam Hauser earned the win, his 11th, with 26 saves.

The win snapped the Monarchs’ (24-20-3-3, 54 points) winless streak at four games. It also pushed the Monarchs into a third place tie with the IceCats (22-18-9-1, 54 points) in the AHL’s Atlantic Division. The IceCats, who entered the weekend unbeaten in five, have lost two straight. The Monarchs are 2-2-2-0 in six games against the IceCats this season.

After a scoreless opening 20 minutes, the Monarchs took the lead 1:05 into the middle period with Rosa’s team-leading 20th goal. Schmidt and center Michael Cammalleri shared assists on the play, with Schmidt firing his pass across the slot to Rosa, who then chipped the puck over the glove of goaltender Curtis Sanford.

The Monarchs doubled their lead midway through the period with Tripp’s power play goal at 9:16. Tripp, assigned to the Monarchs by the Los Angeles Kings for a conditioning assignment earlier in the week, jammed a crease rebound past Sanford for his eighth goal. Defenseman Tim Gleason started the play with his shot from the left point. He and Cammalleri each notched assists on Tripp’s fourth power play goal of the season.

The Monarchs stretched their lead to 3-0 with Schmidt’s third goal, scored when he tipped Rosa’s slap shot from the left circle at 11:14. Rosa and defenseman Tomas Zizka, who like Tripp was assigned to the Monarchs from the Kings earlier in the week, had assists on the play.

Rookie left wing Peter Sejna, last year’s Hobey Baker Award winner, spoiled Hauser’s shutout bid 7:44 into the final period with his sixth goal. Sejna stole the puck at the top of the left circle and slipped his shot over the glove of Hauser. The puck clanked off the right post before caroming into the net. Sejna’s goal was unassisted.

Sanford finished with 25 saves. The IceCats were 0-for-3 on the power play. The Monarchs were 1-for-3.

The Monarchs are off until Wednesday’s rematch with the IceCats at 7:05 p.m. at the Worcester Centrum Centre. Wednesday’s game marks the first of six consecutive road games for the Monarchs following the 2004 Pepsi AHL All-Star Classic, set for Sunday, February 8 and Monday, February 9 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Monarchs next home game is slated for Monday, February 23 at 7:05 p.m. against the Binghamton Senators.